The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 eBook

Janamejaya said, “After the celestial Rishi
Narada had returned from White Island, reflecting,
as he came, on the words spoken to him by the holy
Narayana, what indeed, did the great ascetic next do?
Arrived at the retreat known by the name of Vadari
on the breast of the Himvat mountains, and seeing
the two Rishis Nara and Narayana who were engaged
in severe austerities at that spot, how long did Narada
dwell there and what were the topics of conversation
between him and the two Rishis? This discourse
on Narayana, that is really an ocean of knowledge,
has been raised by thy intelligent self by churning
that vast history called Bharata which consists of
a hundred thousand verses. As butter is raised
from curds, sandal-wood from the mountains of Malaya,
the Aranyakas from the Vedas, and nectar from all
the medicinal herbs, after the same manner, O ocean
of austerities, hath this discourse that is like nectar
and that has Narayana for its object, been raised by
thee, O Brahmana, from diverse histories and Puranas
existing in the world, Narayana is the Supreme Lord.
Illustrious and endued with great puissance, He is
the soul of all creatures. Indeed, O foremost
of regenerate ones, the energy of Narayana is irresistible.
Into Narayana, at the end of the Kalpa, enter all
the deities having Brahman for their foremost, all
the Rishis with the Gandharvas, and all things mobile
and immobile. I think, therefore, that there
is nothing holier on earth or in heaven, and nothing
higher, than Narayana. A sojourn unto all the
sacred retreats on Earth, and ablutions performed
in all the sacred waters, are not productive of as
much merit as a discourse that has Narayana for its
topic. Having listened from the beginning to
this discourse on Hari, the lord of the universe,
that destroys all sins, we feel that we have been cleansed
of all our sins and sanctified entirely. Nothing
wonderful was accomplished by my ancestor Dhananjaya
who was the victor in the great battle on Kurukshetra,
for it should be remembered that he had Vasudeva for
his ally. I think that, person could have nothing
unattainable in the three worlds, who had for his
ally Vishnu himself, that great Lord of the universe.
Exceedingly fortunate and commendable were those ancestors
of mine, since they had Janarddana himself for looking
after their temporal and spiritual prosperity.
Adored of all the worlds, the holy Narayana is capable
of being beheld with the aid of austerities alone.
They, however, succeeded in beholding Narayana, adorned
with the beautiful whirl on his chest. More fortunate
than my ancestors was the celestial Rishi Narada,
the son of Pramesthi. Indeed, I thank that Narada,
who transcends all destruction, was endued with an
energy that was not little, for repairing to White-Island
he had succeeded in beholding the person of Hari.
Indeed, it is evident that the sight he had obtained
of the Supreme Lord was due to only the grace of that
Being. Fortunate was Narada inasmuch as he had